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Old Posted Apr 30, 2013, 12:28 PM
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Islands of Canada

In Smevo's General Atlantic Infrastructure Issues thread, we're currently on the topic of ferries - the funding and maintenance of which, it seems, is a common problem in all our provinces.

MonctonRad shared some information about a cool island I'd never heard of - Campobello Island. It's fascinating - linked by a bridge to a nearby American town, with only a seasonal ferry connection to Canada. I spent an hour reading about it.

So, what are some of the islands in your province? Any cool or interesting stories about them? I'd prefer if we stayed away from the large ones - Newfoundland as a whole, Prince Edward Island, Vancouver Island, etc - but use your own discretion.
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Last edited by SignalHillHiker; Apr 30, 2013 at 12:39 PM.
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Old Posted Apr 30, 2013, 12:32 PM
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"Islands of Canada" - would make an interesting TV program.

Ontario's most interesting islands might include Manitoulin, the largest fresh water island in the world, and Pelee Island, the southernmost bit of land in Canada.

By the way, I assume the island mentioned in your post would be Campobello Island, NB, where Franklin Delano Roosevelt had his summer home?
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Old Posted Apr 30, 2013, 12:39 PM
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One of main islands near St. John's is Bell Island, home to the suburban town of Wabana. It's linked by two ferries that spend all day, every day, crossing between Wabana and Portugal Cove-St. Philip's.



It's a beautiful island:


Bell Island Coastline by Geoff Holden, on Flickr

And it has an interesting history as well. It was home to a mine, was torpedoed by the Nazis during the Second World War, and prides itself on having an extremely well-educated population.

*****

Another favourite with tourists is Fogo Island, located off the northeast coast of Newfoundland.




Fogo Island 130 — Fogo by dugspr — Home for Good, on Flickr

It's known for being a tourist mecca. It has artists colonies and hotels that rival those of St. John's:


Squish studio, near the town of Tilting, Fogo Island, Newfoundland by Timothy Neesam (GumshoePhotos), on Flickr


Long Studio at dawn, Joe Batt's Arm, Newfoundland by Timothy Neesam (GumshoePhotos), on Flickr


http://www.fogoislandinn.ca/images/homepage/003.jpg
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Old Posted Apr 30, 2013, 12:44 PM
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Originally Posted by kwoldtimer View Post
By the way, I assume the island mentioned in your post would be Campobello Island, NB, where Franklin Delano Roosevelt had his summer home?
I don't know about Roosevelt, but I did spell the name wrong, you're right. Thanks!
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Old Posted Apr 30, 2013, 12:54 PM
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One more. It's not a part of Canada, but I think it still can be considered an island of Canada.

It's the French islands of St-Pierre-et-Miquelon, located just off the south coast of Newfoundland.

You can see the islands in this image from space. They are directly off the south coast of Newfoundland, in the bottom-centre of the photo. It looks like the "boot" of the Burin Peninsula just kicked them, which has unusually strong and accurate historical implications.


Newfoundland clear by SpaceRef, on Flickr

There a few towns on the island but almost the entire population of several thousand lives in the capital, St-Pierre:


St Pierre et Miquelon 2009 by Gord McKenna, on Flickr

The culture of St-Pierre is very authentically French. They get summers off, they take three-hour lunches, they start every day at the bakery, they have wine with lunch and dinner, they smoke, alcohol costs less than chewing gum, they look about 10-years-younger than people in their age group in Newfoundland.


East to the Arctic Expedition by mcgill.alumni, on Flickr


Le Pays du France meets Granite Planet? by ADT image!nation, on Flickr

Video Link


The things about St-Pierre that surprised me most on visits:

They use mirrors on the sides of buildings instead of street lights in the VERY dense old town area. So you pull up to the intersection, and check these giant oval mirrors fixed to the sides of buildings on the other corners.

The drinking age was 14 when I was growing up. That was awesome. And the ferry is only 45 minutes. You can see St-Pierre easily from the coast of Newfoundland, even make out individual buildings.

With all their history, and all of their tragic stories they could share to foster hatred of anglophone Newfoundlanders - what do they choose to promote most for tourists? Their role supplying the States with booze during prohibition. Those types of stories are what anglophone visitors are most likely to end up stumbling into. Even the hotels have preserved the rooms where Al Capone stayed just as it was when he left, etc.

The bakeries... they're EVERYWHERE and you simply will not believe that they can take the same ingredients we use elsewhere in North America and make things that taste SO MUCH better.

The cemetery. The tombs are all above ground, as in New Orleans. And it's beautiful.

The airport. Small towns with massive airports always fascinate me. The disproportionate importance is really cool.
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Old Posted Apr 30, 2013, 12:56 PM
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I'll recopy my response to Signal from the Atlantic thread.

Quote:
Campobello is one of my favourite islands.

The process of getting there is fascinating, first taking the ferry to Deer Island, driving across Deer Island and then taking the second ferry to Campobello. Passamaquoddy Bay has tremendous scenery and in my opinion rivals St. Margaret's or Mahone Bays in NS. There are frequently opportunities for whale watching on the ferries, especially the Campobello ferry.

Campobello itself just feels exotic and remote. Everyone speaks with a downeast New England accent. The Roosevelt/Campobello International Peace Park is a delight. The park is jointly managed by the US and Canada and it is strange seeing US park rangers with their stetsons on duty on Canadian soil. It kinda feels like you're in the US, but you're still in Canada....
I'm currently at work. Maybe this evening I'll try to scrounge up some pictures to post....
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Old Posted Apr 30, 2013, 12:58 PM
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Then there's Toronto Island. It has a fairly interesting backdrop.....

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Old Posted Apr 30, 2013, 1:02 PM
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Toronto Island is great. I love that angle of Toronto's skyline as well.
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Old Posted Apr 30, 2013, 1:03 PM
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Originally Posted by MonctonRad View Post
I'll recopy my response to Signal from the Atlantic thread.

I'm currently at work. Maybe this evening I'll try to scrounge up some pictures to post....
Found a few for you.


CAMPOBELLO: FDR's summer home on a rocky island over the bridge from Lubec Maine by Robert Lz, on Flickr


Campobello by laotis, on Flickr
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Old Posted Apr 30, 2013, 1:06 PM
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This island is awesome. I don't think it even has a name.



by me.
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Old Posted Apr 30, 2013, 1:07 PM
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Within my province, well, there seems to be a pan-Canadian consensus on this forum about how interesting this island is: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=205246
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Old Posted Apr 30, 2013, 1:08 PM
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Toronto Island is actually the Toronto Islands as there are several and have been since Hurricane Hazel. The islands are pretty cool in the summer. It's too bad the city isn't allowed to allow even a tiny bit of modest development on them, even like a small beach hotel. Would be pretty cool to stay there a night when visiting.
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Old Posted Apr 30, 2013, 1:16 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by harls View Post
This island is awesome. I don't think it even has a name.

http://farm1.staticflickr.com/116/30...ff338087_b.jpg

by me.
Now, I asked nicely that we try to avoid the large islands... please respect that.

If it has no name, let's name it Harls Island?
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Old Posted Apr 30, 2013, 1:17 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chadillaccc View Post
Toronto Island is actually the Toronto Islands as there are several and have been since Hurricane Hazel. The islands are pretty cool in the summer. It's too bad the city isn't allowed to allow even a tiny bit of modest development on them, even like a small beach hotel. Would be pretty cool to stay there a night when visiting.
There is a community on the island that includes a couple of hundred homes and even a school. Seems like there are at least a few Bed & Breakfasts: http://torontoisland.org/tabid/121/Default.aspx
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Old Posted Apr 30, 2013, 1:19 PM
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There is a community on the island that includes a couple of hundred homes and even a school. Seems like there are at least a few Bed & Breakfasts: http://torontoisland.org/tabid/121/Default.aspx
It seems you're right.


Bing Bird's Eye View
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Old Posted Apr 30, 2013, 1:22 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker View Post
Now, I asked nicely that we try to avoid the large islands... please respect that.

If it has no name, let's name it Harls Island?


I'd love to set up a tent and go camping there.

This island is massive.. it'd probably take a full minute to get to the far side.
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Old Posted Apr 30, 2013, 1:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Ramako View Post
There is a community on the island that includes a couple of hundred homes and even a school. Seems like there are at least a few Bed & Breakfasts: http://torontoisland.org/tabid/121/Default.aspx
I knew that. No hotels though.
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Old Posted Apr 30, 2013, 2:22 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SignalHillHiker View Post
Now, I asked nicely that we try to avoid the large islands... please respect that.

If it has no name, let's name it Harls Island?
This thread prompted to have a look at a map of the river between Ottawa and Gatineau. One thing that surprised me was how many islands between the two cities (even right downtown) seem to be unnamed.

I assume they all have geographical classification numbers of some kind for nautical or navigation purposes, but a good half dozen or more don't seem to have names. And they are fairly large and not just a few rocks sticking out of the water.
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Old Posted Apr 30, 2013, 2:40 PM
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Originally Posted by lio45 View Post
Within my province, well, there seems to be a pan-Canadian consensus on this forum about how interesting this island is: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=205246
In Quebec, the Island of Montreal, Orleans Island, the Magdalen Islands and Anticosti Island, in that order. Montreal, because it's Montreal; Orleans for location, history and beauty; Magdalens for remoteness; and Anticosti for mystery.
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Old Posted Apr 30, 2013, 2:45 PM
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